Re: [sponsorship] Fwd: [FSF] Time for nonprofits to leave proprietary fundraising software systems behind

["jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well I will help as I can.
Really we should have someone who will take over the basic setting up
of the software and aquiring an account on tuxfamily, let see about
the localization. I will prepare that for translation.
mike

On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:36 AM, Dritan Kiçi <dritankici@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Ok, then! I would like to lead this project (if it's ok with everybody).
> Let's form a team and build e timeline for the project. Who would like to
> come aboard?
>
> On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:30 AM, jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> <jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> We can use tuxfamily for free hosting, we can also host it on
>> xhema.flossk.org
>>
>> On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:25 AM, Dritan Kiçi <dritankici@xxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>> > Lets build a project then. it may serve also as testing ground for our
>> > capabilities and team work. We need it installed on a testing site so
>> > everybody can see the process. It can be used also as training project..
>> >
>> > On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:54 AM, jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > <jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> That would be a great project, yes. we could even use it!
>> >>
>> >> On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:52 AM, Dritan Kiçi <dritankici@xxxxxxxxx>
>> >> wrote:
>> >> > Should we localize this?
>> >> >
>> >> > On Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 10:01 PM, jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> > <jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> >> >> From: Peter Brown <info@xxxxxxx>
>> >> >> Date: Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 9:29 PM
>> >> >> Subject: [FSF] Time for nonprofits to leave proprietary fundraising
>> >> >> software systems behind
>> >> >> To: info-press@xxxxxxx, info-fsf@xxxxxxx
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Time for nonprofits to leave proprietary fundraising software
>> >> >> systems
>> >> >> behind
>> >> >>
>> >> >> (News item at:
>> >> >> http://www.fsf.org/news/nonprofit-fundraising-civicrm)
>> >> >>
>> >> >> BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 -- The
>> >> >> Free
>> >> >> Software Foundation (FSF) today announced that CiviCRM has earned
>> >> >> its
>> >> >> recommendation as a fully featured donor and contact management
>> >> >> system
>> >> >> for nonprofits. The FSF had highlighted the need for a free software
>> >> >> solution in this area as part of its High Priority Projects campaign
>> >> >> (http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/priority-projects/). With this
>> >> >> announcement, the FSF will also be adopting CiviCRM for its own use,
>> >> >> and
>> >> >> actively encouraging other nonprofit organizations to do the same.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> (CiviCRM http://civicrm.org/)
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Nonprofits have historically relied heavily on proprietary or
>> >> >> web-hosted
>> >> >> "software as a service" fundraising software such as Blackbaud's
>> >> >> Raiser's Edge or eTapestry. The nonprofit organizations using them
>> >> >> are
>> >> >> locked in, have little control over the functionality of the
>> >> >> software,
>> >> >> and are dependent on the whims of a single company. Nonprofits also
>> >> >> face
>> >> >> costly migration if they wish to switch to a different proprietary
>> >> >> system, never achieving independence. These factors mean that tools
>> >> >> intended to enhance organizations' effectiveness have actually ended
>> >> >> up
>> >> >> restricting their ability to accomplish their social missions.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> CiviCRM, however, shares its software code so all organizations can
>> >> >> see
>> >> >> how it works, have the option of commissioning anyone to make
>> >> >> customizations to it, and can host it on their own trusted servers..
>> >> >> Since the code and the data format are freely available, using the
>> >> >> system does not mean being locked into it. Because it runs on the
>> >> >> free
>> >> >> GNU/Linux operating system, it eliminates the need for another
>> >> >> frequent
>> >> >> nonprofit proprietary software dependency -- Microsoft Windows.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> "The features now offered by CiviCRM will satisfy nonprofits seeking
>> >> >> to
>> >> >> organize their relationships with donors, supporters, and the media.
>> >> >> In
>> >> >> addition to storing contact information, it handles online
>> >> >> fundraising,
>> >> >> event registration, membership management, and personalized paper
>> >> >> and
>> >> >> electronic mailings. Best of all, it's free software distributed
>> >> >> under
>> >> >> the GNU Affero General Public License, which means nonprofits can
>> >> >> host
>> >> >> it themselves and retain the freedom they need to advance their
>> >> >> missions
>> >> >> unfettered," said John Sullivan, FSF's operations manager.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Free software ideals encouraging sharing and modification have been
>> >> >> central to CiviCRM's growth. Developer Dave Greenberg explained,
>> >> >> "The
>> >> >> CiviCRM project was started by a group of developers and project
>> >> >> managers who had been working together on a proprietary donation
>> >> >> processing application. As folks who were passionate about
>> >> >> increasing
>> >> >> the impact and effectiveness of the nonprofits, we came to realize
>> >> >> that
>> >> >> there was a need for a CRM application designed from the ground up
>> >> >> to
>> >> >> meet the needs of civic sector organizations. From the beginning it
>> >> >> was
>> >> >> clear that this should be free software -- community driven and
>> >> >> community owned. On a personal level I find the engagement with our
>> >> >> community of users to be intellectually stimulating and rewarding.
>> >> >> Seeing folks with expertise in a particular area step up and
>> >> >> contribute
>> >> >> their time and ideas to help improve the product is quite exciting.."
>> >> >>
>> >> >> In making the switch, the FSF joins other organizations like Amnesty
>> >> >> International, Creative Commons, and the Wikimedia Foundation, who
>> >> >> have
>> >> >> also been using CiviCRM.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Executive director Peter Brown described the FSF's use of the
>> >> >> software
>> >> >> and intent to publicize it: "I look forward to encouraging other
>> >> >> nonprofit organizations to escape their current proprietary or
>> >> >> 'software
>> >> >> as a service' systems and give CiviCRM a try. As a nonprofit, the
>> >> >> FSF
>> >> >> manages over 40,000 contacts and 15,000 donation transactions per
>> >> >> year,
>> >> >> a book publishing operation, online store, and several advocacy
>> >> >> campaign
>> >> >> websites with associated mailing lists -- all with free software. A
>> >> >> general purpose donor and contact management system will be the
>> >> >> final
>> >> >> piece of the puzzle for charitable organizations looking to operate
>> >> >> using only free software. We plan to publish a guide offering our
>> >> >> experiences as a resource for other nonprofits concerned with the
>> >> >> social
>> >> >> implications of their technology."
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Nathan Yergler, chief technology officer at Creative Commons,
>> >> >> offered
>> >> >> further praise for the software: "CiviCRM is a critical part of
>> >> >> Creative
>> >> >> Commons' infrastructure. We've seen the application mature and
>> >> >> steadily
>> >> >> improve with new features and performance improvements coming in
>> >> >> every
>> >> >> release. CiviCRM's developer community is accessible and responsive,
>> >> >> going beyond the normal call of duty to help when needed. I would
>> >> >> happily recommend CiviCRM to organizations like Creative Commons
>> >> >> looking
>> >> >> for a CRM solution."
>> >> >>
>> >> >> CiviCRM core team member Piotr Szotkowski noted that despite the
>> >> >> project's maturity, there is still rewarding work to be done: "We
>> >> >> could
>> >> >> definitely use more helping hands. Being able to work on CiviCRM
>> >> >> gives
>> >> >> a
>> >> >> lot of non-direct benefits, like the very warm and fuzzy feelings of
>> >> >> great satisfaction and fulfillment: knowing that one’s code was used
>> >> >> to
>> >> >> help the Katrina hurricane victims, that it helps organizations like
>> >> >> Amnesty International or Front Line fight for human rights
>> >> >> defenders,
>> >> >> or
>> >> >> that it helps organizations like the Wikimedia Foundation better
>> >> >> organize their great work on Wikipedia and all their other
>> >> >> projects."
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Further information about downloading, using, and contributing to
>> >> >> CiviCRM can be found at http://civicrm.org. An ongoing discussion of
>> >> >> comparisons between free software database options is on the FSF's
>> >> >> LibrePlanet wiki at
>> >> >> http://groups.fsf.org/wiki/Donor_Transaction_and_Contact_System.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> For a description of the dangers in relying on "software as a
>> >> >> service,"
>> >> >> see "Who does that server really serve?".
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> About the Free Software Foundation
>> >> >>
>> >> >> The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to
>> >> >> promoting
>> >> >> computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute
>> >> >> computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free
>> >> >> (as
>> >> >> in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating system and
>> >> >> its
>> >> >> GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free software. The
>> >> >> FSF
>> >> >> also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues
>> >> >> of
>> >> >> freedom in the use of software, and its Web sites, located at
>> >> >> fsf.org
>> >> >> and gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux.
>> >> >> Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at
>> >> >> http://donate.fsf.org. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> About Free Software and Open Source
>> >> >>
>> >> >> The free software movement's goal is freedom for computer users.
>> >> >> Some,
>> >> >> especially corporations, advocate a different viewpoint, known as
>> >> >> "open
>> >> >> source," which cites only practical goals such as making software
>> >> >> powerful and reliable, focuses on development models, and avoids
>> >> >> discussion of ethics and freedom. These two viewpoints are different
>> >> >> at
>> >> >> the deepest level. For more explanation, see
>> >> >> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Media Contacts
>> >> >>
>> >> >> John Sullivan
>> >> >> Operations Manager
>> >> >> Free Software Foundation
>> >> >> +1 (617) 542 5942
>> >> >> campaigns@xxxxxxx
>> >> >>
>> >> >> ###
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> info-fsf mailing list
>> >> >> info-fsf@xxxxxxx
>> >> >> Unsubscribe: http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/info-fsf
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >
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